Over the coming weeks, along with the team at ICBF we will provide an in-depth look at how Commercial Beef Value (CBV) is being applied on two farms, with unique insights from a Co. Meath calf-to-beef farmer and his son and from a calf-to-beef farmer in Co.Tipperary.

These farmers will discuss how they use CBV to enhance their purchasing decisions, in particular when buying calves at a young age when it can be difficult to distinguish the quality on initial inspection.

The series will also take an in-depth look at the ongoing research at the ICBF Tully Progeny Test Centre, including how trial processes help to capture valuable data, while also making use of a live example to show the effectiveness of CBV.

The series aims to enhance understanding of the CBV, demonstrating how it works and how it can help farmers to make more informed, profitable decisions when purchasing animals.

The first instalment features Aidan Maguire, who runs a calf-to-beef enterprise in partnership with his son Luke in Navan, Co. Meath.

Aidan shares how CBV has become a key part of their purchasing strategy when selecting calves from local dairy farmers each year.

In the second instalment, Michael O’Donnell, a calf-to-beef farmer from Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, discusses his commitment to improving the genetics and quality of his calves to boost profitability.

He highlights how CBV is an invaluable tool, especially for farmers buying young calves, when distinguishing good-quality stock.

The third and fourth instalments will then focus specifically on the science behind CBV.

In the third instalment, Stephen Conroy, manager of the ICBF Tully Progeny Test Centre, will provide an overview of the ongoing research at Tully, explaining how the trial process captures valuable data that would be difficult to measure on a typical farm.

Niall Kilrane, manager of the Beef and Dairy Beef Gene Ireland Breeding Programme, will also explore the impact of CBV through a live example to demonstrate the effectiveness of the CBV for driving profitability and efficiency on a farm.

Stay tuned to Agriland over the the next four weeks for more on the Commercial Beef Value series.